Seal for electric hair clipper



April 23, 1957 J w r 2,789,347

SEAL FOR ELECTRIC HAIR CLIPPER Filed MarchlZ, 1956 United States PatentSEAL FOR ELECTRIC HAIR CLIPPER John F. Wahl and Leo J. Wahl, Sterling,I1l., assignors to Wahl Clipper Corporation, Sterling, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application March 12, 1956, Serial No. 570,943Claims. (Cl. 30-208) This invention relates to electric hair clippers,and

driven by mechanism within the case, is positioned between the fixedblade and the case with the forward edge portion of the movable bladeprotruding somewhat forwardly and laterally of the case. The movableblade has bearing relation with the fixed blade, and the upper surfaceof the movable blade has a spaced relationship 7 with the case.

Cut hair and other foreign materials tend to enter the clearance spacebetween the movable blade and the case. Such foreign material increasesthe friction against which the movable blade works and to some extententers the interior of the case, both to the disadvantage of properclipper operation.

One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a seal for theaforesaid clearance space which effectively precludes the entrance ofhair and other foreign material.

Another object is to provide such a seal which is selfadjusting incharacter to compensate for manufacturing variations.

Still another object is to provide a sealing member which readily may beapplied to a clipper, or which, if desired, may be a more or lessintegral part of the clipper case.

In brief, a seal embodying the invention comprises a sheet of resilientmaterial secured or properly related to the forward end of the clippercase, a free edge portion of the sheet extending into pressure-exertingengage- .ment with the adjacent surface of the movable clipper blade.The edge portion of the resilient sheet thus constitutes a fillet whichseals the space between the case and movable blade. Variations indimensions of the aforesaid space are readily compensated for by theresilient characteristic of the sheet material used.

Other objects, advantages and details of the invention will be apparentas the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing wherein two embodiments of the invention are shown. It is to beunderstood that the description and drawing are illustrative only andthat the scope of the invention is to be measured by the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electric hair clipper embodying oneform of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the headportion of the clipper shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the relationshipbetween the case, movable blade and the :seal of the invention;

Patented Apr. 23, 1957 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of aclipper head illustrating a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the head of the clipper shown inFig. 3, the clearance space between the movable blade and the case beingshown somewhat larger than the corresponding space shown in Fig. 2.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the hair clipper there illustratedincludes a case 5 enclosing a suitable drive motor (not shown). A fixedclipper blade 6 is mounted at the forward end of case 5. As here shown,fixed blade 6 is secured rigidly to case 5 by screws 7. In otherinstances a sliding arrangement (not shown) may be provided betweenblade 6 and case 5 so that the longitudinal position of blade 6 may beadjusted to vary the length of clipper cut.

it will be noted that fixed blade 6 protrudes forwardly and laterally ofthe end of case 5.

The forward end of case 5 is recessed as shown at 8 to accommodate amovable blade 10, which, like fixed blade 6, protrudes forwardly andlaterally of the end of case 5. -As best shown in Fig. 2, movable blade10 has a lower surface which has a bearing relation with the uppersurface of fixed blade 6.

A clearance space 12 exists between the upper surface of movable blade10 and the adjacent portions of case 5. *It is this clearance spacewhich is sealed against the entry of cut hair and other foreign materialby the present invention.

In the form of the invention illustrated in 'Figs. 1 and 2, clipper case5 has a detachable lid or cover 15 made of suitable material such asmolded nylon, for example. Cover'15 is provided with a forward extension16 which overlies the front end of case 5. Extension 16 is a thin sheetof resilient material which may be molded integrally with cover 15. ithas a free edge portion 20 which extends into pressure-exertingengagement (Fig. 2) with the adjacent surface of movable blade 10. Thisedge portion thus constitutes a fillet which seals the forward clearancespace existing between the upper surface of blade 10 and the recessedmargin of case 5.

Extension 16 may be and usually is provided with lateral ear portions 22which are bent with respect to the main plane of extension 16 and aresuitably secured to the forward side portions of case 5. These earportions 22, one being provided on each side of case 5, have edgeportions 23 which, like edge portion 20, extend into pressure-exertingengagement with the adjacent surface of movable blade 10. These edgeportions 23 thus constitute fillets which seal the clearance spacebetween ends of blade 10 and the adjacent portions of case 5.

As previously mentioned, extension 16 and associated ear portions 22 maybe molded integrally with the casing lid or cover 15. The use of thematerial nylon for extension 16 and ear portions 22 is particularlydesirable because of the resilient character of the material and the lowfriction characteristic it possesses. The latter is particularlyimportant in view of the fact that the edge portions 20 and 23respectively of extension 16 and ear portions 22 bear with some pressureon the upper surface of blade 10. The resilient characteristic of thematerial also is of importance to provide the pressure and to compensatefor dimensional variations in the construction of the clipper. Thus thissealing arrangement is self-adjusting. The material nylon additionallyis particularly suitable because of its noise deadening characteristicand its toughness against wear.

A second or modified form of the invention is shown in Figs. 3 and 4wherein a sealing member 25 is a separate unit rather than an integralpart of the case cover. Mem ber 25, again made of a sheet of resilientmaterial, includes a forward portion or strip 26 suitably secured as byscrews or adhesive to the front end of clipper case 27. Strip 26 has afree edge portion 28 which extends into pressure-exerting engagementwith the adjacent surface of movable clipper blade 29.

Member 25 also includes a pair of opposite, lateral ear portions 30which have edge portions 31 extending into pressure-exerting engagementwith the adjacent end surfaces of movable blade 29. Ear portions 30 aresecured to the sides of case 27 by suitable means such as adhesive orthe like.

As in the previous form, edge portions 28 and 31 serve as fillets toseal the clearance space 33 existing between the upper surface of blade29 and the adjacent portions of case 27. Clearance space 33 in Fig. 4has been shown larger in size than the corresponding space in Fig. 2 toillustrate the self-adjusting characteristic possessed by the presentsealing arrangement.

The thickness of the sheet material used in the sealing members of bothforms of the invention preferably is small. For example, nylon can bemolded to a thickness as low as 0.005 inch or less, and it has beenfound that a thickness of this order is highly satisfactory, although asomewhat larger dimension may be used if desired.

When the invention is used on clippers wherein the movable blade isrelated to the clipper case by means of a slide arrangement so that thelength of cut may be varied, the ear portions 22 and 30 of the inventionare modified as required to accommodate the sliding mechanism.

From the above description it is thought that the construction andadvantages of our invention will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art. Various changes in detail may be made without departing fromthe spirit or losing the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric hair clipper having a case and a movable bladeprotruding forwardly of said case with a space between said blade and anadjacent portion of said case, the combination therewith of aself-adjusting seal for said space comprising a sheet of resilientmaterial secured to said case and having a free edge portion extendinginto pressure-exerting engagement with the adjacent surface of saidmovable blade.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said resilient sheet is comprisedof molded nylon.

3. In an electric hair clipper having a case and a movable bladeprotruding forwardly and laterally of said case with forward and lateralspaces between said blade and adjacent portions of said case, thecombination therewith of a self-adjusting seal for said spacescomprising a sheet of resilient material secured to said case, saidsheet having a forward portion and lateral portions extending intopressure-exerting engagement with adjacent surfaces of said movableblade.

4. In an electric hair clipper having a case, an upper case cover and amovable blade protruding forwardly of said case with a space betweensaid blade and an adjacent portion of said case, the combinationtherewith of a forward extension of said cover overlying the forward endof said case, said extension having a free edge portion of resilientmaterial extending into pressure-exerting engagernent with the adjacentsurface of said movable blade to provide a self-adjusting seal for saidspace.

5. In an electric hair clipper having a case, an upper case cover and amovable blade protruding forwardly of said case with forward and lateralspaces between said blade and adjacent portions of said case, thecombination therewith of a forward extension of said cover overlying theforward end of said case, said extension having a forward portion andlateral portions of resilient characteristic, said portions extendinginto pressure-exerting engagement with adjacent surfaces of said movableblade to provide self-adjusting seals for said spaces.

No references cited.

